particle
noun
par·ti·cle ˈpär-ti-kəl 
1
a
: a minute quantity or fragment
b
: a relatively small or the smallest discrete portion or amount of something
2
archaic : a clause or article of a composition or document
3
: any of the basic units of matter and energy (such as a molecule, atom, proton, electron, or photon)
4
: a unit of speech expressing some general aspect of meaning or some connective or limiting relation and including the articles, most prepositions and conjunctions, and some interjections and adverbs
the particle up has a perfective meaning in phrases such as beat up and cut up
5
: a small eucharistic wafer distributed to a Roman Catholic layman at Communion
Synonyms
- ace
- bit
- crumb
- dab
- dram
- driblet
- glimmer
- hint
- lick
- little
- mite
- nip
- ounce
- peanuts
- ray
- scintilla
- scruple
- shade
- shadow
- shred
- skosh
- smack
- smell
- smidgen
- smidgeon
- smidgin
- smidge
- snap
- soupçon
- spark
- spatter
- speck
- splash
- spot
- sprinkling
- strain
- streak
- suspicion
- tad
- touch
- trace
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
There is not a particle of evidence to support their claim. There is not a particle of truth in what he said. The phrasal verb “look up” consists of the verb “look” and the adverbial particle “up.”
Recent Examples on the Web In recent years however, wildfire smoke has accounted for up to half of all fine-particle pollution in the Western United States. 
Tony Briscoestaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2022 And like many neutrino scientists, she is excited by the vast research potential this tiny particle holds. Joanna Thompson, Scientific American, 15 June 2022 People sensitive to particle pollution should consider spending less time outdoors or reducing the amount of physical activity, said Adam Przepiora, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. Alena Naiden, Anchorage Daily News, 13 June 2022 Oceanographers explained how the DDT waste could move up and down the water column — and perhaps even out of Southern California waters — depending on the currents and ocean physics, as well as the particle size and density. Rosanna Xiastaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2022 Since airborne particles that are 0.3 microns in diameter are the most penetrating particle size, HEPA filters will work even better on particles larger or smaller than this. Samantha Jones, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 July 2022 The particle size varies, which is why, as examples, EZ Sand Polymeric Sand ($22.98 for a 40-pound pail at Home Depot) is suitable for joints ¼-to-1½ inches wide, while Accel Dust Preventing Paver Polymeric Sand ($21.98 for 40 lbs. Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2022 In my experience, the smaller the particle size these filters can remove, the cleaner the air will be. Michael Rubino, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2022 If one particle escapes as Hawking radiation and avoids annihilation, the energy debt that remains has to be paid by the mass of the black hole. Robert Lea, Popular Mechanics, 9 Aug. 2022 See More
Tony Briscoestaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2022 And like many neutrino scientists, she is excited by the vast research potential this tiny particle holds. Joanna Thompson, Scientific American, 15 June 2022 People sensitive to particle pollution should consider spending less time outdoors or reducing the amount of physical activity, said Adam Przepiora, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. Alena Naiden, Anchorage Daily News, 13 June 2022 Oceanographers explained how the DDT waste could move up and down the water column — and perhaps even out of Southern California waters — depending on the currents and ocean physics, as well as the particle size and density. Rosanna Xiastaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2022 Since airborne particles that are 0.3 microns in diameter are the most penetrating particle size, HEPA filters will work even better on particles larger or smaller than this. Samantha Jones, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 July 2022 The particle size varies, which is why, as examples, EZ Sand Polymeric Sand ($22.98 for a 40-pound pail at Home Depot) is suitable for joints ¼-to-1½ inches wide, while Accel Dust Preventing Paver Polymeric Sand ($21.98 for 40 lbs. Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2022 In my experience, the smaller the particle size these filters can remove, the cleaner the air will be. Michael Rubino, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2022 If one particle escapes as Hawking radiation and avoids annihilation, the energy debt that remains has to be paid by the mass of the black hole. Robert Lea, Popular Mechanics, 9 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Latin particula, from diminutive of part-, pars
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Phrases Containing particle
Kids Definition
particle
noun
par·ti·cle ˈpär-ti-kəl
: a very small bit or amount of something
a particle of sand
a particle of sense
Medical Definition
particle
noun
par·ti·cle ˈpärt-i-kəl
1
: one of the minute subdivisions of matter (as an atom or molecule)
also : elementary particle
2
: a minute quantity or fragment
particles
noun
1
as in specks
a very small amount there was not a particle of truth in what she said Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- specks
- little
- splashes
- bits
- sprinklings
- hints
- glimmers
- touches
- licks
- traces
- sparks
- flecks
- rays
- handfuls
- streaks
- crumbs
- shadows
- ounces
- mites
- dabs
- molecules
- slivers
- shades
- spatters
- drams
- bites
- peanuts
- atoms
- granules
- smells
- shreds
- grains
- spots
- drops
- driblets
- parts
- suspicions
- nips
- scruples
- strains
- smidgens
- fragments
- pinches
- smidges
- soupçons
- dots
- dashes
- smidgeons
- skoshes
- doses
- motes
- smacks
- aces
- smidgins
- scintillas
- syllables
- snaps
- portions
- minims
- patches
- flakes
- drops in the bucket
- minima
- tastes
- iotas
- sections
- minimums
- morsels
- whits
- scraps
- shards
- flyspecks
- vestiges
- semblances
- nubbins
- scatterings
- jots
- nibbles
- splinters
- chips
- shavings
- tittles
- clippings
- hoots
- handsful
- shivers
- modicums
- parings
- smatterings
- smatters
- smithereens
- shots
- tatters
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- quantities
- masses
- piles
- bundles
- loads
- barrels
- abundances
- mountains
- rafts
- stacks
- buckets
- bushels
- wads
- heaps
- volumes
- lots
- gobs
- messes
- deals
- fistfuls
- reams
- pecks
- scads
- boatloads
- oodles
- much
- wealths
- profusions
- chunks
- lashings
- potfuls
- excesses
- lumps
- surpluses
- slabs
- passels
- plenties
- superfluities
- lashins
- hunks
- overages
- overflows
- embarrassments
- overmuch
- bonanzas
- overabundances
- oversupplies
- overkills
- superabundances
- surfeits
2
as in flecks
a very small piece a particle of cookie fell on the carpet Synonyms & Similar Words
- specks
- flecks
- bits
- molecules
- grains
- atoms
- granules
- mouthfuls
- scraps
- crumbs
- patches
- snippets
- fragments
- motes
- slivers
- bites
- drops
- morsels
- flyspecks
- nuggets
- licks
- fractions
- nubbins
- traces
- shards
- snips
- dribbles
- scruples
- parts
- streaks
- portions
- sections
- mites
- flakes
- dashes
- tittles
- ounces
- nutshells
- whispers
- minims
- pinches
- touches
- iotas
- clippings
- tastes
- splinters
- shreds
- tidbits
- chips
- spots
- shavings
- whits
- nibbles
- halfpence
- driblets
- dabs
- kennings
- suspicions
- strains
- jots
- smidgens
- smidges
- halfpennies
- smidgeons
- smatters
- ha'pennies
- aces
- smidgins
- haets
- parings
- titbits
- shivers
- modicums
- smithereens
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- chunks
- lumps
- slabs
- quantities
- masses
- volumes
- hunks
- piles
- loads
- barrels
- mountains
- gobs
- abundances
- rafts
- stacks
- buckets
- bushels
- pots
- heaps
- deals
- wads
- profusions
- pecks
- scads
- wealths